Pak scales down 'war on terror' in northwest to focus on Indian border

Islamabad, Dec 26 (ANI): Pakistan has made some unannounced changes in their deployment of troops and has also scaled down its operations against Islamist militants in the north-west following tensions with India in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Air strikes against militants in the restive Swat and Bajaur regions have been scaled down as some of the airpower had to be redeployed to the country's eastern border, the BBC quoted a senior Pakistani military official, as saying.

The official said the redeployment was ordered after Indian fighter jets violated Pakistani air space earlier this month amid reports of possible "surgical" strikes by India on the headquarters and camps of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group that India has blamed for Mumbai attacks. The Pakistani military has also decided to postpone an impending ground operation against militants in the Khyber tribal region due to the repositioning of troops on the eastern border with India, the official said.

Militants based in Khyber have destroyed dozens of trucks carrying supplies for Nato troops in Afghanistan during the last few weeks.

The official, who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media, said that international powers, including the United States, were aware of these measures.

Another army official, who has knowledge of deployments in the Khyber region, confirmed that some reshuffling has taken place in the area.

Relations between Pakistan and India have touched a new low since the November 26 attacks on multiple locations in Mumbai. (ANI)